In Positron Emission Tomography (PET) systems, particularly those used for scanning small animals and those that construct 3-dimensional images, scattered photons play a significant role because they comprise a large portion of the total number of photons scanned and are the primary contributor to reduced contrast and quantitative accuracy, which leads to poor image reconstruction during the PET scan. 3-dimensional (3D) PET systems are particularly sensitive to scattered photons, and as a result, the PET images appear blurred or contain artifacts.
Previous efforts to eliminate or otherwise minimize the blurring and quantitative inaccuracy created by scattered photons has generally included considerable pre-processing of data and the administration of higher dosages of radioactive material to the subject.
Thus, there exists a need for systems and methods for reducing PET systems' sensitivity to the presence of scattered photons, thereby allowing for more photon data to be used in reconstructing an image, which in turn improves signal-to-noise ratio and the contrast recovery coefficient in PET scanning systems and reduces the amount of radioactive material administered to the subject.